We have all had this experience; we know what is wrong, we want to get well, we may even seek help, but nothing works. It’s frustrating and if you’re like a lot of people, you have just accepted that some things won’t change. You’ve accepted something less than the abundant life Christ came to give you. Or maybe you have accepted some watered down version of abundant life and become convinced there is nothing more.

At the Splankna Therapy Institute we are passionate about redeeming the field of energy psychology for the Kingdom of God. We offer a Christian protocol for Mind-Body Work adapting elements from Neuro-Emotional Technique (N.E.T.), Thought-Field Therapy (T.F.T.), E.M.D.R. (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and spiritual warfare. It filters out New Age philosophies and harnesses God's remarkable created mechanisms in the body-mind connection. It provides a highly effective treatment procedure for quickly alleviating a wide range of psychological symptoms. It addresses client challenges comprehensively, attending to the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of the problem and the solution.

“The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” I Thessalonians 5:24

“If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.” II Timothy 2:13

He has called you, He is faithful, He will do it! Let that sink in for a moment. God can’t be unfaithful because he can’t deny Himself. This means we can expect God to show up and make things happen. So has God called you to THRIVE in your life? If you’re not sure, go back and read this series again. Is He bigger than any of the thing that have been limiting you in your life?

We are called to have visions, plans and desires. Despite what you may have been taught, we are active players in this world and in our own lives. However, this never minimizes or negates the sovereignty of God. We are to plan and be visionaries but only in full dependence on God and in submission to his sovereignty!

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Thessalonians 5:23

God has created us Body, Soul and Spirit! We are physical, emotional and spiritual. We are also made to be relational in all aspects of our being. These areas of life all work together and affect each other. Therefore, all approaches to healing and wellness must be integrated to be effective! We must be willing to look at all areas of our life and not just one area that we see as important.

Ok so this is super important. We need to be relevant and to be relevant we need to love! Love, not just as I understand it but love so that others receive it. If I love in a way that it is not received, it is irrelevant. To truly love and receive love we need to have people in our lives who are willing to get to know us and understand how we are wired. Do you have people like that? It is our desire, through these “Keys to Thrive,” to meet you where you are and communicate God’s love in a manner that is relevant to your life and your circumstances.

“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord” Hebrews 12:14

“but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,since it is written,‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’” I Peter 1:15-16

God has called us to be holy and without holiness we cannot connect with God or live a godly life. In a world that is addicted to self and to comfort, we are taught to pursue happiness. This influence from the world gives us another limitation. It limits our view of our circumstances and makes us very ego centric. As we remove this limitation and stand in awe of God’s holiness, our perspective on ourselves, our circumstances and the world we live in completely change. We become open to a whole new understanding that helps us THRIVE no matter what our circumstances are.

“that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” I John 1:3

God has called us to be in relationship with Him and with others. The quality of these relationships affects all areas of our lives. In order to live the life we were called to, if we are to thrive in life, we must connect in healthy ways with God and with others. What is the quality of your relationships?

Today I wanted to talk about our first category of the wellness wheel (family and friends) and how strengthening relationships in this area of life can contribute to overall wellness. I talked quite a bit in the introductory blog about family, so my goal in today's writing is to keep it short, and to offer some practical ways to thrive in this category.

Being caught in sexual sin/ sexual addiction is often a place filled with fear and self -hatred; much what I would imagine the adulterous woman from the Bible felt like.

Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. John 8:1-3

Many men are concerned about being what is called a “Man’s Man”. This often consists of descriptions such as being tough, good at “picking up” women, unrealistically physically fit, emotionally shut down, and not requiring help from anyone.

“That will teach them”. Every utter that phrase? Ever experience that feeling of rage building inside of you, ready to explode out of your chest like something from the movie Alien. Like an untamed wild animal gnawing at your mind and emotions.

When it comes to your marriage, have you ever felt alone, as if you’re living with a roommate? Have you ever felt stuck and disconnected? Angered because nothing ever changes, and hopeless that nothing will ever change? I think most couples have experienced this within their marriage at some point. Perhaps not in regards to the entire marriage but at least in one area of your marriage.

Thriving in this life is not about being rich and successful by the world’s standards although some will. Thriving means that we walk in the power God provides and we have abundant life regardless of our circumstances; even when the world strikes a blow.

I was once asked if, as Christians, we should be plan makers or order followers. How are we suppose to Thrive as Christians? Do we create visions, make plans, or wait for orders? As I thought about this and what scripture says, it was clear that we are to be both plan makers and order followers. We need to find our calling, create visions and be obedient even when we feel ill equipped.

Take off the MASK: We need to begin the healing process by being genuine and open about our pain.Heal the WOUNDS: Just like physical wounds, emotional, spiritual and relational wounds need to be treated and healed.

Why do we wear mask? Often we are afraid to let people see who we really are. We might fear that if they really knew us with all of our imperfections they wouldn’t love us or accept us. Often we mistakenly believe that other people have it together and it’s just us that have the problems. So we try to get others to see us the way we see them…without problems.

Ever hear the saying, “Old habits die hard”? By nature, we are creatures of habit. We get up in the morning, do our daily regiment and crawl in bed at night. Even growing up, traditions are passed down from generation to generation. It’s only within the last couple of centuries that our understanding of nutrition and health has exploded.

Suicide prevention, while extremely important, appears to not be keeping pace with prevention of other injury related deaths. Of all the deaths by physical injury, the number one cause is suicide. One would think that auto accidents, accidental poisoning, or even more generic 'accidental deaths' would all have more deaths than suicide.

As Christian counselors we often hear people talk about guilt as a negative emotion, causing us to feel like failures, to feel condemned, or unable to meet what is expected of us. However, guilt is not always bad. It can lead us to repentance, towards righteousness and towards making needed positive changes in our lives

Guilt: True or False?Can Christian counseling help me get rid of my guilt? After all, guilt is usually viewed as a negative emotion, causing us to feel like failures or feel condemned, or unable to meet what is expected of us. Guilt is not always bad however.

Searching for deeper connections with others? Surrounded by others but still feeling alone? Christian Counseling can help build closer relationships. We were not made to live alone regardless of the independent nature of our American culture.

Christian counselors often have clients walk into their office when their shame and guilt over experiencing depression has reached an unmanageable level. How could a disorder that affects 1 in 6 individuals at some point during their lifetime result in feelings of judgment and condemnation from the Christian community?

Statistics surrounding divorce are heartbreaking. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2012) for every 1,000 people there are 6.8 marriages and for every 1,000 people there are 3.6 divorces. Marriages are constantly breaking up and within those marriages are precious children being faced with difficult life situations. The 2009 American Community Survey indicates that only 47% of children reach the age of 17 in an intact married family.

Watching the TV news is depressing, but now I can't even read the Newspaper! I started out my day be learning that people ages 35 to 64 (I land right in the middle) account for about 57 percent of suicides in the United States. The suicide rate among middle-aged (35-64 years old) Americans has climbed a startling 28 percent between 1999 and 2010.